Faron
by gamer4
Summary: For centuries, Hyrule has been watched over by the spirit of a warrior in green. However, a new threat is rising, and this time, just one warrior won't be enough... Eventual crossover between all the games.
1. Prologue: The Sign of Three

Gamer4 in. Hello, people, and welcome to my newest story! This is one that took root in my mind a few days ago, and it has spread so throughly I swear it was incepted. Maybe it has something to do with me going on a Zelda-binge at the same time. Probably. Anyways, the main concept I started with was 'have all the various Zelda characters in one great, big story.' Don't worry, though, this plot will not just be an excuse to have everyone in one big story- I actually do have a story in mind. In addition, I promise right at the outset that I won't bring any OCs in- I know they _can _be done right, but done wrong, they can mess the whole story up, and the last time I introduced OCs into one of my stories, let's just say that... it was done wrong. Also, all my information about the series is coming from either the games themselves or Hyrule Historia- a book I happen to own. I'll do all I can to keep everything canon, so I apologize if I mess anything up. Anyways, let's dive right in!

Disclaimer: You get this once, and I refuse to say it again after this: I do not own the Zelda series. I own a copy of each of the games (CD-I doesn't count) but not the series itself.

Faron

Prologue

The Sign of Three

Legends. The centerpiece of culture. Ever since the dawn of language, humans have delighted in passing on stories of the ancient past, parent to child. Stories of great heroes, individuals who found themselves plunged into dire circumstances, but found themselves equal to them. Stories of great villains, beings and creatures who sought to extinguish the human race from the face of the planet. And the stories of those that would assist either side, and be either rewarded or punished as the wide universe saw fit.

Today, it's easy to forget the importance of legends, but they still hold importance- words whispered to each other across a fireplace, stories spoken to young children as their eyes begin to droop, even inspiring stories heard over the internet could be construed as legends... of a type.

However, long ago, there was a series of tales that bards delighted in telling above all others- songs of the ancient land of Hyrule, the golden land, where the fields were evergreen. Ruled over by fair and just leaders and protected by the finest knights in the land, Hyrule was beloved and sought after by heroes and villains alike. The legends tell also of the silent, watchful protector of that great land- the sentinel that kept vigil over the great kingdom. Whenever the kingdom was in great need, there appeared a man in green, an avatar of Hyrule's last, greatest defender. After saving Hyrule from whatever had been ailing it, he would fade back into the void he seemed to appear from, only to return the next time he was truly needed.

This... is the last story of the land of Hyrule. This is the story of its protector and the companions who aided him on his quest to save his beloved kingdom one last time. It is a story of imps, demons, men, women, and monsters alike. A story of all the races of Hyrule- from the fire-dwelling gorons to the lake-dwelling zoras, desert-walking gerudo to the creatures that lurk in the twilight. And above all... this is the story of the man named Link Faron.

XXXX

It is difficult to pin down exactly where this story might begin. Some would say it began with Link's first incarnation, a soldier who would lead his people to the sky. Others would say it began with the young knight who took them back down to the earth. Some may even go as far as to say that it all began with the creation of Hyrule, when the three Golden Goddesses descended into chaos and formed the land, the law, and the creatures that would uphold the law.

But as for me, the story truly begins with yet another legend- the legend of the Hero of Time- the legend of three endings.

The Hero of Time began his life under the belief that he was a kokiri, a race of beings living in the forest. Under kokiri tradition, every kokiri would receive a fairy that would help and guide them, but this particular kokiri boy never received his, until one day when the Great Deku Tree, the guardian of the Kokiri, sent a fairy named Navi to him. She bore the message that the Great Deku Tree wished to meet with him.

The Great Deku Tree told him of an evil man lurking in Hyrule who had cursed him, dooming him to die. With his last breaths, the Tree bequeathed to him the Emerald of the Kokiri, telling the young Hero of Time that he must travel to Hyrule Castle to meet with the Princess, Zelda.

So, Link traveled to the castle in the north of Hyrule fields, where Zelda revealed the man himself- the King of the gerudo, Ganondorf Dragmire, who was swearing false allegiance to the King of Hyrule. She had discovered the evil man's plan to obtain the three sacred stones that would grant him access to the Sacred Realm, where the Triforce, the great treasure of the world, was kept. She beseeched Link to get the stones and find the way to the Sacred Realm first.

Through several trials, Link managed to do just this, but due to last-minute action by Ganondorf, he was forced to make the final trip alone. When he did, he discovered a hidden chamber in the sacred Temple of Time, in the center of which was a pedestal. Enshrined in the pedestal was a brilliant sword with a blue hilt. Link approached the sword and drew it.

Instantly, the young hero entered a state as though he were in a dream. He heard the evil man congratulating him for getting to the Sacred Realm, and thanking him for opening the way. And then, he met a strange old man in robes. The old man introduced himself as the Sage of Light, and told him that seven years had passed since Link had drawn the sword. He had been too young to truly wield the sword, and had thus been put to sleep until he was old enough to truly bear the sacred blade of evil's bane. In that time, Ganondorf had seized his chance to enter the Sacred Realm himself and take the Triforce. However, because his heart was imbalanced, he'd only received a third of the great relic- the Triforce of Power. The Triforces of Wisdom and Courage had been taken by Zelda and Link, respectively. Zelda, however, had been forced into hiding. Rauru pleaded for Link to set out and awaken five other sages who would assist Link in countering Ganondorf's newfound power and imprisoning him within the Sacred Realm.

As Link left the Temple, a strange figure appeared before him- a young man named Sheik. Sheik vowed to assist Link on his journeys.

And so Link set out and fought through forest, fire, water, shadow, and spirit to find the other sages, occasionally receiving assistance from the mysterious Sheik. Along the way, he discovered from the Great Deku Sprout, the offspring of the Great Deku Tree, that he had been Hylian all along.

Finally, Link returned triumphantly to the Temple of Time, each of the sages newly awakened. Once in the temple, he was met by Sheik, who revealed himself as nothing more than a disguise for Princess Zelda, the final sage, and the one destined to lead them all. However, no sooner had she revealed herself than Ganondorf's power struck the temple and snatched Zelda away, challenging Link to come and face him in battle.

Link infiltrated Ganondorf's tower and ascended up to the top, where Ganondorf challenged him. After a furious battle, Link stood triumphant, and Zelda was released from her crystalline prison. With his dying breaths, Ganondorf attempted to bring the castle down on top of them, taking them with him. However, they managed to escape using Zelda's power.

As they looked back upon the ruins of the castle, Ganondorf's battered form suddenly rose from the rubble, and before their eyes, he became the monstrous Ganon, a beast born from the hatred within his heart.

After yet another fierce battle, Ganon was struck down and cast into the void of the Sacred Realm, leaving Hyrule free once more.

It is at this point that the story diverges, and even to this day, the true ending depends on who is telling the story.

According to some, Zelda, feeling pity for Link, who was forced to leave his childhood seven years early, sent him back through time so that he could live his own life. The moment he arrived back in the past, however, his first action was to travel back to Hyrule Castle and alert both Zelda and the King of Ganondorf's treachery, and, using his knowledge of the future, expose him for what he truly was. Once Ganondorf was exposed, his execution was attempted in a distant desert. Meanwhile, Link set out to find Navi, who had left him after he had made his return. In his search, he set out into a distant forest, where he met a traveler on the wayside... but that is another story altogether...

Others prefer to follow the story from the time that Link was sent back to the past. Over time, Hyrule was able to recover from the scars left by Ganondorf and his machinations. However, years later, Ganondorf returned, as powerful as ever he was, and began to wreak his terrible revenge across the land. The people desperately prayed for the Hero of Time to return... but he did not. Instead, they turned towards the Goddesses, who responded to their prayers by flooding Hyrule and sealing it away for all time. A chosen few were able to flee to the mountains and begin life again. Legends would later tell of a hero of winds who would arrive to save these islands from a new threat, but that, too, is a story for another time...

And finally, the third story that people tell. According to these last few people, both the other endings are false in their entirety- for Link never did triumph against his opponent, the great Ganon. Instead, he was struck dead in the ruins of that collapsed tower. Ganon went on to wreak havoc across the world, until the sages that had already united finally succeeded in sealing him in the sacred realm, though after many innocents had been harmed. Years later, he would begin making attempts to return, but, for the final time, that is another story.

XXXX

A mysterious thing, legends. Even more mysterious is that all this is merely the prelude to the greater story at hand. However, before that story can begin, each of the endings of the Hero of Time's story must be taken into account- for each ending bears with it its own distinct set of legends. Each one echoes through that strange, unfathomable force we know as time. Each one deserves to be remembered. And each one ultimately plays into the final tale of Hyrule's great protector.

_XXXX_

A few notes- I don't like to take sides in the whole "Is Sheik male or female?" debate. I'll be trying to appease both sides by portraying Sheik as Zelda's alter ego who is supposed to be seen as male by the rest of the world, but is really just a cosmetic change on Zelda. Hopefully, this will keep everyone happy.

Also, sorry this beginning is so short- I'm just trying to set everything up- it _is _a prologue, after all. Like I said at the beginning, I intend for this story to be on a much greater scale- indeed, I intend to have every character in the Zelda universe at least get a cameo, though ideally, they'd actually get a role in the story. That _does _include all the different Links and Zeldas, and possibly even parallel-dimension versions of Ganondorf (i.e., TP Ganondorf and WW Ganondorf.) However, my goal is to, at the end of the day, have it actually be a good story, not just an excuse to have all these characters together. It is my belief that you all deserve the best story possible, and you have my word I'll do everything I can to achieve that goal. Anyways, that's all for now, next time, we'll hopefully actually start getting into the main story, including some actual dialogue! Until then, please R&amp;R, constructive criticism is always welcome (as, of course, it is the building blocks of making a better story,) flames will be met by ice, Gamer4 out.


	2. The Mysterious Child

Gamer4 in. A quick word about the various Links and their place in the timeline- based on Hyrule Historia, I've come to the conclusion it works like this: Skyward Sword is the first Link, followed by the Link from the Minish Cap, who is the same Link from the first Four Swords game. Up next is Ocarina of Time, with the next Link, who carries over into the first game on the timeline where Ganondorf was stopped before he could actually commit any crimes, namely, Majora's Mask. After Majora comes Twilight Princess, and another Link, and afterwards comes yet another new Link in Four Swords Adventures. On the timeline where Ganondorf took over, then was stopped, we have Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass (same Link) followed by Spirit Tracks (new Link.) As for the timeline where the Hero of Time died prematurely, we have Link to the Past, the Oracle games, and Link's Awakening, all of which feature the same Link, followed by a new Link with Link Between Worlds, and finally, the very first Link in the very first two games, who, incidentally, is featuring in this first real chapter! Also incidentally, Adventure of Link, the second game, is one of two that I've never finished- I just can't play it to save my life, can't even get to the second dungeon. However, thanks to Hyrule Historia, I am at least up to date on the story. Alright, enough notes, let's get to the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I just wrote what may well be the longest opening notes I've ever written. Let's not waste time on establishing that a _fanfiction _writer doesn't own the source material.

Chapter I

The Mysterious Child

Imagine, if you will, a windswept hilltop, standing in the center of a vast field. The nearest landmarks are several meters away, with only mountains visible as far as the eye can see. On ordinary days, the sun glistens over it, and by night the stars seem to smile upon it- it seems truly peaceful, giving no hint of any sort of bloody history.

Naturally, though, looks are often deceiving. For it was on this hilltop that, only a year or so earlier, a battle took place between a youth in green and a gigantic green-skinned man. The two fought, blade-to-blade, with life or death on the line. And in the end, in a stunning turn involving months of honed skill and several sessions with a mysterious, undead mentor, the youth succeeded in plunging his sword into the man's chest, striking him dead upon the hill.

The man, a wicked gerudo named Ganondorf, had later been buried where he had been struck down. No gravestone marked his resting place, and grass had begun to grow over the spot already, effectively effacing any signs that there was someone buried there.

However, that was all in the past- and it is of what was happening at the present time that I wish to speak. Off to the side of the hill, not far from where the evil man had been buried, the wind was behaving very oddly. It seemed to be attracted to a single spot on the hill, bending and twisting towards that spot, as the vague form of a man began to form within it. Eventually, he fully solidified, and the wind dissipated.

Even aside from his strange method of appearing, this man would seem strange to most. He stood much shorter than was custom for most men in the region, and his skin was deathly pale. Under one eye, a design was imprinted into his skin- a half circle with a line coming from the bottom. The design may have been mimicked under his other eye, but this was difficult to tell, because the other eye was covered by his long, bluish hair. He wore a purple cap on top of all this, complete with purple robes.

He smiled to himself as he looked around, then stepped forward. No one was supposed to be aware of the spot where Ganondorf had been buried so many months ago, but the man seemed to know the exact spot. He stood directly over the evil man's makeshift grave, and pulled something from his robes- a small pouch. Turning it over, he emptied a dark red liquid onto the ground, chanting a strange series of words as he did so. As he performed the strange ritual, the liquid seemed to be absorbed by the ground, and the wind began to pick up again, swirling rapidly around the hilltop. And, abruptly, a new form began to take shape, standing just over the burial ground. A tall, large, hulking figure, dressed in full armor. The form seemed to be sleeping at first, but he awoke as the ritual continued. Finally, the wind died down, and the floating, hulking figure collapsed to the ground, directly across from the man who'd begun the ritual to begin with.

"Ah, good evening, Ganondorf Dragmire," said the man in purple, smiling as the recently-revived man pulled himself to his feet.

"What is this?" Ganondorf asked, his eyes flicking up to the strange man that stood across from him. "Who are you? The last thing I remember is fighting with that green punk, and then..." Ganondorf's eyes seemed to lower as he recalled the results of the fight. "Oh. Then... am I dead?"

"Far from it," the man in purple said, spreading his hands. "Allow me to introduce myself- my name is Vaati."

"Why do you think I care what your name is?"

"Well, that's awfully impolite- is that how you treat the man who just pulled you from death? It wasn't an easy process, I assure you- the blood of the man that killed you was slightly more than difficult to obtain."

"So I _did _die..."

"Indeed you did," Vaati nodded. "But now, you're back. And, considering that I went to such trouble to revive you, I thought you might do me a favor or two."

Ganondorf laughed, a deep, grunting laugh that seemed to shake the very earth beneath them. "You've got things mixed up," he laughed. "I work for no one."

"Oh, no, no, no," Vaati said, waving his hands, "I would never dream of you working _for _me. Really, I'm not even speaking for myself, as long as I'm being honest. I have a... benefactor, shall we say. He's the one who told me where I could find you, and gave me the ritual to bring you back."

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. "Doesn't change the game. Doesn't matter if you want me to work for you or this... benefactor of yours, you still want me to work for someone. Let's make this clear- I play only by my rules. Got it?"

"And I would never dream of asking you to deviate from them," Vaati nodded, touching his hat. "However, some very... difficult times are coming up, and my benefactor feels that it would be to both our benefits if you were to join us for some... backup, shall we say? There is, after all, power in numbers. And if we had the wielder of the Triforce of Power... well, let's just say that it was a very tempting proposition."

Ganondorf hesitated. "What kind of times?" he asked.

"Well, that's very sensitive information," Vaati said, waving a finger back and forth. "I can't very well go giving it out to someone not... initiated. However, I will say that it involves a certain young man in a green tunic, and his eventual annihilation."

Ganondorf turned, his attention seized. Vaati laughed. "I am familiar with him, as well," he continued, pressing his advantage. "And I have no more love for him than you do. And, should you join up with us, I can promise this- once our task is complete, you will have your revenge."

Ganondorf crossed his arms, considering. Finally, he spoke. "I see you've got something big planned, something involving Hyrule. Well, nothing happens to my kingdom without my say-so. How many other people are in on this?"

"Not counting my benefactor... there is one other, besides myself. However, she could not come to this meeting. She has business elsewhere today."

Ganondorf grunted. "Alright. I'm in. I'll see what you have planned. But..." he added, "the moment I see something happening that I don't like, I won't hesitate to tear you and your benefactor down, understand?"

"Naturally," Vaati said, bowing. "We would never _dream _of betraying you, Mr. Dragmire." Straightening up, he added, "Now, if you'd kindly follow me..."

XXXX

Link rose early in the morning. He often did. It had now been seven years since he'd defeated Ganon in his lair on Death Mountain, and one year since he'd defeated his own shadow and succeeded in awakening the Zelda from the ancient past. However, he'd never really gotten used to sleeping late. Silently, he rose and began to walk through the halls of Hyrule Castle. The King and Zelda herself had generously allowed him to continue staying in the Castle even after they'd finally succeeded in rebuilding from Ganon's attack. He was sort of a guest of honor, one might say. Officially, he was Zelda's bodyguard- and unofficially, as well.

As Link got dressed in his usual green clothing, he struggled to decide what to do for the morning. Nothing interesting really ever happened until later in the day. Sighing, he picked up his sword and shield- well, might as well go out on patrol.

Things had been much more peaceful in the kingdom lately, as very few monsters wanted to deal with the hero who'd saved Hyrule twice. He'd begun to earn a reputation among the monsters that typically plagued Hyrule, and they were learning to stay well away. However, that didn't mean that there weren't any monsters around that wanted to make trouble. If he was honest with himself, Link would say that he was half-hoping there were. He was a warrior by nature- inaction made him restless.

So, he set out, leaving the castle and heading out into the fields. He found himself heading in the vague direction of Death Mountain, where both of his previous adventures had taken him at some point. As he crossed the field, he heard a heavy breathing. "...Hello?" he asked, raising his sword, just in case. Turning, he called out, "Is someone there?"

He began to trace the breathing to its source. It wasn't that far away. His eyes widened as he saw a strange figure laying on the ground. It looked like a caricature of a child made out of straw- sort of like a miniature scarecrow. Except that it clearly _wasn't _a caricature- it was the source of the heavy breathing- it was alive.

However, that didn't stop it from being very out of place, laying there in the middle of Hyrule's fields. Kneeling down next to the creature, he attempted to awaken it. "Are you alright?" he asked, feeling the being. He could feel a heartbeat, but it seemed completely unconscious. Even the heartbeat seemed to be relatively faint. "Hold on," he muttered, lifting the young straw-boy over his shoulder. "Let's get you some help..." And with that, he rushed back to Hyrule Castle.

XXXX

The first person he thought to go to this early in the morning, with a critically injured child in tow, was directly to Impa, who had been Zelda's nursemaid in previous years. "Impa!" he cried, running through the castle with the strange child over his shoulder the whole way. He arrived at her door and knocked rapidly on it.

Finally, the door opened, revealing a short old woman dressed in red robes. "Yes, Link, what is-" her voice faltered as her eyes fell on the being he had over his shoulder. "Oh, my!" she said, putting her hands over her mouth. "What... what has happened?"

"I don't know," Link said, shaking his head. "I found him out in the fields... he's hurt, he needs some help!"

"Well... bring him in, I'll see what I can do for him."

Impa beckoned to him, ushering him into her room. They placed the unconscious being on the bed, and Impa knelt down to take a closer look. "Well... that's strange," she said, examining him closely. "He _is _clearly unconscious, but I can't seem to detect what's wrong with him..."

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Impa shrugged. "I'm not certain there is- I can't find any trace of any ailment. Let's see if we can move him, get him to a different room where I might be more well-equipped..."

Link nodded, and the two of them moved the boy to another room, giving him his own bed. Link took a seat nearby as Impa headed off to get some medical supplies. As he waited, Link's eyes fell on the boy. It was strange, he thought. What was a creature like that doing laying half-dead on the outskirts of Hyrule field? Where had it even come from?

He was distracted from his thoughts as Impa returned. "Alright, I'll take care of things here, Link," she promised. "You go and get yourself something to eat, alright?"

Link mutely nodded and rose, turning and heading off into the main castle.

XXXX

Later in the day, Link met up with Zelda- the Zelda from his own era, not the Zelda who'd only woken up a year or so ago. He shook his head- it was slightly confusing that there were currently two Zeldas living in the same castle. Since she'd awoken, the Zelda from several generations ago had mostly given dominion over Hyrule to the Zelda from the current age, conceding that things had changed enough that she didn't feel as though she'd be an effective leader.

"Oh, Zelda!" he said, turning to the red-haired princess. "Did Impa tell you about our visitor?"

"Visitor?" Zelda asked, tilting her head to the side. "No, what are you talking about?"

Link quickly filled her in on the strange creature he'd found laying in Hyrule Fields, unconscious, and how Impa was currently trying to take care of him.

"That _is _odd," Zelda said, putting a finger to her chin. "And it isn't a creature you recognize?"

"No, never seen anything like it."

"Well, he's called a Skull Kid, for what it's worth," came a new voice, approaching down the hallway. Link and Zelda both turned to see Impa approaching, a warm smile on her face. "That's what he calls himself, at least."

"He's awake?" Link asked, perking up.

"He is, indeed," Impa nodded. "It's strange, I still don't know what was wrong, but he woke up, and he's suddenly in perfect shape again."

The thought did cross Link's mind that that was strange, but he brushed it aside for the moment. "Can I see him?"

"You most certainly can," Impa bowed her head. "In fact, he asked to see you specifically."

Link shrugged. "Guess it's only natural to want to meet the person who saved your life..."

"No," Impa shook her head, "you misunderstand me. He asked for you by name."

Link froze, turning to Impa. "Wait, what? He... he knew me?" A nod. "How is that possible? Did you tell him my name?"

"I did not. He just woke up, and the first words out of his mouth were, 'Link! I need to find Link!'"

Link and Zelda threw a confused look at each other, then followed Impa up the stairs and to the Skull Kid's room, where, sure enough, he was wide awake.

"I brought him for you," Impa spoke, addressing the Skull Kid as she bowed Link and Zelda into the room.

The Skull Kid turned, a smile on his face, but the light in his eyes seemed to go out when he saw Link himself. "Oh... that's not him... sorry, sir... I was looking for Link Faron..."

Link's eyebrows raised. "But... I _am _Link Faron," he said, taking a seat next to the Skull Kid's bed. "Impa said you wanted to see me?"

The Skull Kid turned, his head tilted to the side. "No..." he said, "The Link I'm looking for is a kid. Have you seen him?"

Link shook his head, confused. As far as he knew, there was only one person in the kingdom named 'Link.' "Why... why did you want to see him?"

The Skull Kid laid back down. "I... have something I need to give him. It's important- _very _important."

"What is it?" Link asked earnestly.

"I can't show you- it's for Link." The Skull Kid rolled over to look at him. "It's funny..." he said. "You smell just like him..." Link jumped as the Skull Kid approached close enough, and seemed to smell him again. "Yeah... you really do... you even kind of _look _like him... but you're not him..."

"Well," Link said, "how about you give whatever it is to me, and if I see this other Link, I'll make sure to give it to him, alright?"

The Skull Kid hesitated a little longer, his head tilting from side to side. He seemed to be considering something. Finally, he said, "Alright. But you have to _promise _you'll get it to him, alright? It's important- very, very important... that's what the other guy said..."

As he spoke, the Skull Kid removed a fine gold chain that he'd been wearing around his neck, whereupon he handed it over to Link. Link smiled reassuringly as he accepted it. It was a necklace of some sort, with a sort of coin strung on it. The coin had a large, square hole in the center, through which the chain was strung. There were symbols all around the hole, but he couldn't interpret them. It was funny, though... he felt... drawn to the thing.

Looking up, he said, "Who gave you this?"

"Huh?" the Skull Kid asked.

"Who gave you this?"

"The guy who told me to give it to Link."

"And that was...?" Link prompted.

"... He told me not to tell," the Skull Kid said, almost as if he was speaking to himself. "He said I shouldn't tell anyone, at all, for any reason. He said it has to stay secret... just get it to Link..."

"Alright," Link said, standing and putting the necklace in a pocket. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out for this other Link of yours. You just stay here and try to get better, alright?"

"Do you remember how you got to where Link found you?" Zelda asked, taking Link's unoccupied seat.

"No," the Skull Kid shook his head. "I was... climbing a mountain... then I went through a tunnel... and that's the last I remember."

Link and Zelda looked at each other in confusion- going from a tunnel to lying out in Hyrule Field? It didn't make any sense...

"Alright, that's enough... let him sleep..." Impa said, ushering them away.

Link and Zelda stepped out into the hallway, then immediately moved into a nearby empty room.

"So, what do you think?" Zelda asked.

"It doesn't make any sense," Link admitted. "Passes out in a tunnel, wakes up in the fields? No, I don't get it. And he wants to give a necklace to Link, but not me..." Link shook his head.

"Can I see the necklace real quick?" Zelda asked, putting out her hand. Link took the fine gold chain from his pocket and handed it over. Zelda examined the coin with interest. "This is... fascinating," she commented as she turned it over in her hands. "This coin seems much older than the chain itself..."

"Can you read the symbols?" Link asked curiously.

"... No, they're in some language I can't understand... it's old... as in, I think they might be older than Hyrule. You'd need some devoted scholars to be able to decipher something like this..."

"It might sound strange," Link said, leaning forward for another look, "but I feel like I've seen that coin somewhere before. I don't know where... it just kind of... stands out to me, you know?"

"You want it back?"

"I suppose so," Link said, cupping his hand. Zelda placed the necklace in it. "I promised that kid I'd get it to whoever he's trying to get it to... looks like me, shares my name... well, I hope _he'll _know what's going on..."

XXXX

Later that night, Link was lying awake in his bed, turning the coin over in his hands. It really was strange- he felt like the design was important, somehow... perhaps even crucial, thought he couldn't figure out why, or to what, or who. Tracing a finger along the symbols on the outer edge, he tried to find a spark of familiarity, only for the answer to stand resolutely out of reach. He was on the point of giving it up when he heard a loud scream from nearby.

Quickly, he jumped out of bed and rushed out of the door and down the hall to where the Skull Kid's room was. Bursting in, he saw the Skull Kid sitting bolt upright in his bed, panting heavily. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly.

"She's coming!" Skull Kid cried. "She's coming! She's been looking for me, and now she's found me, and she's coming!"

"Who is?" Link asked, trying to divine meaning from the Skull Kid's words. "Who's looking for you?"

The Skull Kid, still breathing heavily, began to calm himself as he looked up at Link. Looking embarrassed, he looked away. "Nothing," he said quickly. "It was just a dream..."

Link tilted his head slightly. He didn't believe that for a moment. "Is that so..." he said slowly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," the Skull Kid said, rolling over in his bed.

"Well, would you be even more fine if I did some patrolling of the castle tonight?" Link asked. "Got my sword and shield, just did a little walking around?"

"No... don't worry about it..." the Skull Kid said. Link could swear that, under his breath, he heard the Skull Kid say, "-wouldn't make a difference..."

"Well, I'll do it anyways, alright?" he promised. "Now, I want you to just sit back and relax, okay? I'll go on a patrol of the castle, and if I see anyone suspicious, I'll drive them off."

The Skull Kid looked on the point of arguing, but he evidently saw that it was a lost cause, because he simply wished Link luck as Link stepped back out into the hallway and headed back to his room to grab his sword and shield.

XXXX

Meanwhile, out at the roots of Death Mountain, a woman stood, grinning at Hyrule Castle with a manic light in her eyes. "Ah, Hyrule Castle..." she said, laughing as she spoke. "Home of heroes, and justice, and light, and so on, and so on..." Here, she took a break to laugh even harder. Upon calming herself, she said, "Perhaps that is why it attracted my precious Skull Kid... but we can't have him spoiling all the fun, can we?"

As she spoke, she turned to a group of monsters standing behind her at the ready. "Alright, we infiltrate the castle, do whatever you want... kill as you wish... but not the Skull Kid... that child... is mine, understand?"

The monsters all nodded their assent. "Good," the woman said, falling into another outbreak of laughter. "That's just fantastic! Alright, I can't wait to get started!"

_XXXX_

I'm honestly ending this chapter off earlier than was my original intention. It's getting kind of late over here, and I've got things I need to do tomorrow. And that's actually a pretty good place to end off for now anyways, so it's all good! Next chapter, we get a peek into a separate area of Hyrule, in the ever-honorable Ordon Province, followed by more happenings with the original Hyrule! Bonus points to anyone who can guess who the woman at the end of this chapter is- not sure what the points _do_, I'll admit, but... I don't know. Anyways, please R&amp;R, constructive criticism fully welcome, flames not so much, Gamer4 out!


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